Defining the 'Culture Vulture': A Global Dilemma

The term “culture vulture” is loaded. In hip-hop and broader cultural discourse, it refers to individuals who extract value — stylistically, economically, or symbolically — from marginalised cultures without participating in their struggles or respecting their origins.

For Drake, this label is not new. His chameleon-like approach to accents and sounds is viewed by some as global versatility and by others as exploitative. The line between cultural appreciation and opportunism is thin — and critics argue that Drake often crosses it.

Yet, this conversation extends beyond music. It taps into broader questions: who owns culture? Can anyone participate, or must they be rooted in lived experience? In a hyper-connected world, these lines become increasingly blurred, but the demand for accountability remains.

Central Cee: A White Voice in a Black Genre?

Central Cee, born Oakley Caesar-Su, hails from Shepherd’s Bush, London. Though he draws heavily on the drill genre — born in Black communities in Chicago and London — he has no publicly acknowledged Black heritage. This absence has led to growing criticism around his aesthetic choices and the perception that he profits from a culture he doesn’t belong to.

He often sports visuals, slang, and styles deeply embedded in Black British youth culture. His identity, however, remains ambiguous, and in the context of UK rap, where authenticity is currency, that ambiguity becomes controversial.

The pairing with Drake, then, compounds the issue. Two artists with immense global influence but limited cultural accountability are now making music that uses the language, rhythm, and iconography of Blackness — without, say critics, carrying its burdens.